


Hemmingway Is a Douche

by literaryoblivion



Series: Tumblr Ficlets [32]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: F/M, Homework, Libraries, Studying, Tutoring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-21
Updated: 2014-03-21
Packaged: 2018-01-16 12:13:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1347037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/literaryoblivion/pseuds/literaryoblivion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Oh my god, Stiles, do not tell me you have stooped to only reading the Sparknotes of A Farewell to Arms.”</p><p>"No! I read the book… well most of it… I skimmed a lot. I watched the movie!"</p><p>“Stiles, I am side-eying you so hard right now.”</p><p>"Look, will you just help me please? You’re done with yours, right? Just give me something, an idea, something, cause I can’t think of anything, and if I don’t make an A on this paper, I’ll fail, and I won’t be able to move up with you guys. I just… with everything that’s happened, I really can’t afford to fail, Lyds."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hemmingway Is a Douche

**Author's Note:**

  * For [overcastthursday](https://archiveofourown.org/users/overcastthursday/gifts).



> This was written for a prompt by [overcastthursday](http://overcastthursday.tumblr.com/): "Stydia? Homework/writing essay frustration with Lydia motivating Stiles? :)". It was crossposted on Tumblr [here](http://literaryoblivion.tumblr.com/post/80237145582/stydia-homework-writing-essay-frustration-with-lydia).
> 
> I've never written Stydia before, so hopefully my attempt is okay! :)

"Lydiiiiiiiaaaaaaaaa," Stiles whines into the phone as soon as Lydia picks up.

_"Stiles, what is it now?"_

"This essay is killing me. I have been staring at my computer for like two hours and all I have is my name."

_"Well, the rest of the heading might be helpful, you know subject, date…"_

"Ha ha, Lyds, you know what I mean. I have no idea what to write, and not even Sparknotes is helping."

 _"Oh my god, Stiles, do not tell me you have stooped to only reading the Sparknotes of_ A Farewell to Arms _.”_

"No! I read the book… well most of it… I skimmed a lot. I watched the movie!"

“ _Stiles, I am side-eying you so hard right now._ ”

"Look, will you just help me please? You’re done with yours, right? Just give me something, an idea, something, cause I can’t think of anything, and if I don’t make an A on this paper, I’ll fail, and I won’t be able to move up with you guys. I just… with everything that’s happened, I really can’t afford to fail, Lyds." His last sentence sounds so quiet and desperate, and as much as Lydia doesn’t think she should have to, she knows how much Stiles has gone through, how hard it’s been for him, how school has fallen by the wayside for most of them but especially Stiles. The last thing he needs is to be held back while his friends continue on; she doesn’t want that for Stiles.

She lets out a sigh.  _"Fine. Meet me at the library in fifteen minutes._ " Then, she hangs up.

 

Once at the library, Stiles arrives to find Lydia with two coffees, a stack of books, her laptop, her copy of  _A Farewell to Arms_  and a package of muffins.

"Are food and drinks even allowed in here?" Stiles asks as he approaches.

"As long as you don’t make a mess and clean up afterwards, the librarian doesn’t mind."

Stiles shrugs and plops down in the seat next to Lydia, setting his backpack on the table in front of him. He pulls his own few books and laptop from his backpack and waits for his laptop to boot up, sneaking a muffin while he waits.

Lydia hands him a stack of books, all literary criticism on Hemmingway and  _A Farewell to Arms_  and tells him to skim the index to see if there’s any topics there that might interest him. He had already done this, although on the Internet where he was more easily distracted, but he’s not one to disobey Lydia, so he does what she’s asked.

By the time the library has announced they’ll be closing in ten minutes, Stiles has a strong thesis and several quotes and references picked out. Now, it’s just a matter of B.S.-ing everything in between, if he’s being honest. He still has one more day till it’s officially due, so he can write up all the filler tomorrow after Lacrosse practice.

He and Lydia walk out of the library together, and Stiles, ever the gentleman, walks Lydia to her car.

"Thanks, for the help Lyds, I really thought I was SOL there. Hemmingway is a douche."

Lydia shakes her head. “I wouldn’t put that in your essay.”

Stiles barks out a laugh, and Lydia smiles at the laugh. It’s good to see Stiles laugh; there was a while there where it never happened. “But, seriously, though, thanks. I… just, thanks.”

Lydia nods. “You’re welcome, Stiles. I need someone to compete with for valedictorian next year.” Stiles grins, and because it warms her heart, she leans in and gives Stiles a tight hug. When she pulls back, Stiles is looking down sheepishly. “If you need any more help, call me, okay? With anything.” She ducks her head to catch Stiles’s eyes, her own eyes warm and imploring.

The corner of Stiles’s lips curl up. “Thanks, Lyds. You’re the best.”

"I know." She gives him a wink and he blushes, but he tries to cover it up with a roll of his eyes. "Good night, Stiles. I’ll see you tomorrow."

"Night," he replies before she gets into her car. She waits to leave until Stiles is in his jeep, and when he starts the engine and flashes his lights at her, she waves and drives off. She drives home thinking about Stiles laugh, how easily he smiles again, and she thinks he’ll be okay. That if anyone can come out of the crap they have and still be able to find their humor and smile again, it’s Stiles. And she’s happy she’s the one that can help him get there.

**Author's Note:**

> OK, can I just tell you a fun personal story? 
> 
> Once upon a time when I was in high school, I, like Stiles, had to write a literary criticism paper on any Hemmingway novel of my choosing. I had picked the shortest one (To Have and Have Not), which was terrible and had little to no criticism on it. SO at the last minute (and because my English teacher loved me), I changed to A Farewell to Arms. I, however, didn't have time to read it all and then write my paper before it was due. I had found literary criticism a plenty on it though, so I was set on that. I just needed quotes from the book to back me up. So because I am awesome, I read the entire Sparknotes of the story and found the chapters that seemed to fit with the literary criticism quotes I had found, went to Barnes and Noble with a notebook and pen, and sat in the aisle with a copy of A Farewell to Arms and skimmed through the chapters I needed to find quotes that would work (then wrote them in my notebook). Then I went home and wrote the paper. 
> 
> I believe, if memory serves me right, I got a B. Pretty good for not having ever read it yeah? Anyway, I am pretty much in agreement with Stiles, Hemmingway is a douche and I hate him. You can judge me all you want, but that's how I feel. Even my American Lit professor in college agreed. 
> 
> THE END.
> 
> Come say hi on [my tumblr](http://literaryoblivion.tumblr.com) or [my twitter](http://twitter.com/lit_oblivion).


End file.
